Hi everyone. Just joined and am looking for some support in what appears to be an active friendly forum.
I'm a new uni student who has gained a stone recently with v bad eating habits. It doesn't help that I have such a sweet toooth.
I'm not actually overweight - my BMI's around 21, but my clothes are just a lil too tight and more than anything I'm looking to get into a healthy eating lifestyle now that my parents aren't around to reinforce it.
Anyhow I've found my motivation to be v low and am just looking for some diet buddies online

Diana xXx

If it is a recent gain it is quite possible that part of the stone is water retention.

I feel obliged to point out (more for the benefit of others reading as anything) that someone that has a BMI of 21 is highly unlikely to be able to lose a stone of fat in one month if they go about things in a healthy way.

I suggest that you drink 1 oz of water for every two pounds of your weight, sleep well, eat a healthy balanced diet at a calorie level of say 11 times your weight in pounds and exercise regularly. Ensure that your sodium levels are under 2300mg per day.

Read the sections of exercise and nutrition paying particular attention to the sticky threads and get a free account from FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal to log your exercise and nutrition (ensuring that you have a calorie balance worthy of weight loss and that your nutrient levels are right.

Good luck.

I'll echo what Omega said. In general, if you're losing weight at a healthy rate, you're going to average about 1% of your current weight per week. If you have a low BMI, then 1% is probably not going to be 3lb per week.

But it is possible that you're bloated from water retention and that would be some of the weight that would come off quickly.

Eating healthily, controlling your sodium, and making sure to drink lots of water (Omega's figure of 1/2 oz per pound of bodyweight is a good guideline) will help you shed that extra weight.

Thanks omega for the tips.
My bmi's actually more around 22. I just calculated it as 21.8.
I'm definitely looking for a balanced diet more than crash dieting. The thing is when I say my diet was awful in the recent two months - it truly has been atrocious. A lot of takeaways, macdonalds and cake/biscuits with every meal. Back at home, my meals were always v filling but had plenty of veg and I'd only really have dessert once or twice a week.
To be honest I probs should have gained a lot more weight than I have done, but I'm v active with training for Uni level triathlon so I've only really noticed the weight gain recently.
The thing is, once you start eating a packet of biscuits and 2 choccie bars every day, it's actually v hard to stop. Def not good for me.
Hoping posting on these forums will give me the motivation to swap my junk for fruit and veg snacks instead and eat 3 proper meals each day.

Thanks Kara for your reply too.
Hmm, would love it to be water retention but I have a feeling it probs is all the biscuits and junk building up in my system.

You guys have certainly made me realise that I need to look after myself more though. Will have a proper browse through the nutrition posts tomorrow.

If we are talking an actual fat loss - I would echo Kara's 1% per week as being a healthy rate of weight loss.

Water weight could still give you a good head start so be sure to do the water / sodium thing.

Also be aware that most women experience a monthly gain around the time of their period so it is possible that part of your gain is due to that.